The Whole Picture

Some people read the Bible by opening it at random and without looking point his finger at the page. They look at that as God’s word for them for the day.  Sometimes that works positively, but other times it has a negative effect because it is taken out of context. Such was the case of the man who said, “Lord, show me what you want me to do”…using that method. His Bible opened up to the scripture that said, “Judas went out and hung himself.” He than closed the Bible and reopened it pointing to, “Go and do thou likewise.”  That’s why it is unwise to not compare scripture with scripture to get the whole picture. At times we communicate with people by only giving them a small part of the whole picture. Yet we expect them to understand where we are coming from. It’s not fair to the person who wants to be our friend. It’s also not fair to the Holy Spirit when we try to interpret what he is saying based on one verse of scripture.

“These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.”

I Corinthians 2:13

A Texas teacher was helping one of her kindergarten students put on his cowboy boots. She could see why he had asked her for help, because even with her pulling and him pushing the little boots still didn’t want to go on. She had worked up a sweat by the time the second boot was on. The little boy said, “Teacher, they are on the wrong feet.” She looked, and sure enough they were.  It wasn’t any easier to pull the boots off than it was putting them on. She managed to keep her cool as they worked together to get the boots off and back on the right feet. Then the boy announced, “These aren’t my boots.”  Once again, she bit her tongue and struggled to help him putt the ill-fitting boots off his little feet. No sooner had they gotten the boots off when he said, “These are my brother’s boots. My mom made me wear them.” Now the teacher didn’t know if she should laugh or cry. But she wrestled the boots back on the little boy’s feet again. As she helped him into his coat, she asked “where are your mittens?” He said, “I stuffed them in the toes of my boots.”

Sometimes, like the little boy, we only give people bits and pieces of information. Yet, we expect them to understand what we need from them. If the little boy would have shared more information with the teacher up front, the job would have been much easier for both of them. If we allow God to share more information with us up front, we will see the whole picture and our lives with be infinitely more balanced and meaningful. Comparing scripture with scripture is treating God fairly and it makes our life easier because we see the whole picture.

Al Yoder

9/7/2011